Name two clinical signs of excessive alcohol use on the skeletal system or nutrition.

• A. Hypertension and gout.
• B. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (ataxia and confusion) and osteoporosis.
• C. Osteoarthritis and vitamin C deficiency.
• D. Rickets and scurvy.

Answer: (B)

Chronic heavy alcohol use disrupts both nutrition and bone health. The nutritional impact often shows up as thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, leading to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This condition produces neurological signs such as ataxia—poor coordination—and confusion. On the skeletal side, long-term alcohol intake can weaken bones by impairing bone formation and calcium/vitamin D metabolism, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

So the combination of ataxia and confusion from Wernicke-Korsakoff (nutritional deficiency due to alcohol) along with osteoporosis (bone loss due to alcohol's effects on bone metabolism) are two clear clinical signs of excessive alcohol use on the skeletal system or nutrition. Other options don’t map as directly to alcohol-related nutritional or skeletal effects.